ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Gabriel Barcia-Colombo - Video sculptor
Gabe Barcia-Colombo creates madcap art inspired both by Renaissance era curiosity cabinets and the modern-day digital chronicling of everyday life. Think: miniature people projected in objects and a DNA Vending Machine.

Why you should listen

Gabe Barcia-Colombo is an American artist who creates installation pieces that both delight and point to the strangeness of our modern, digital world. His latest work is a DNA Vending Machine, which dispenses vials of DNA extracted from friends at dinner parties. He's also created video installations of "miniature people" encased inside ordinary objects like suitcases, blenders and more. His work comments on the act of leaving one's imprint for the next generation. Call it "artwork with consequences."

As he explains it: "While formally implemented by natural history museums and collections (which find their roots in Renaissance-era 'cabinets of curiosity'), this process has grown more pointed and pervasive in the modern-day obsession with personal digital archiving and the corresponding growth of social media culture. My video sculptures play upon this exigency in our culture to chronicle, preserve and wax nostalgic, an idea which I render visually by 'collecting' human beings (alongside cultural archetypes) as scientific specimens. I repurpose everyday objects like blenders, suitcases and cans of Spam into venues for projecting and inserting videos of people."

Barcia-Colombo is an alumnus and instructor at NYU's Interactive Telecommunications Program. Read about his latest work on CoolHunting and in his TED Fellows profile.

More profile about the speaker
Gabriel Barcia-Colombo | Speaker | TED.com
TED Fellows Retreat 2013

Gabe Barcia-Colombo: My DNA vending machine

Gabriel Barcia-Colombo: 我的 DNA 自動販賣機

Filmed:
828,455 views

自動販賣機一般販售蘇打水、棒棒糖和薯片。但是 TED 研究會員卡伯耀•卡希亞-戈倫柏(Gabriel Garcia-Colombo)創造的自動販賣機則不然。這位藝術家構思出來一部 DNA 自動販賣機,銷售從人體提取的 DNA,包裝在小瓶內,內附一張有收藏價值的 DNA 主人的照片。可愛怪誕,但也同時指出了隨著生物技術提升而出現更重要的倫理問題。
- Video sculptor
Gabe Barcia-Colombo creates madcap art inspired both by Renaissance era curiosity cabinets and the modern-day digital chronicling of everyday life. Think: miniature people projected in objects and a DNA Vending Machine. Full bio

Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.

00:12
This is a vending自動售貨機 machine in Los洛杉磯 Angeles洛杉磯.
0
391
2158
這是在洛杉磯的一部自動販賣機,
00:14
It's in a shopping購物 mall購物中心, and it sells塞爾斯 fish eggs.
1
2549
2931
在一個大型購物商城,販賣魚卵。
00:17
It's a caviar魚子醬 vending自動售貨機 machine.
2
5480
3650
這是一部魚子醬販賣機。
00:21
This is the Art-o-mat藝術鄰墊,
3
9130
1599
這是一部Art-o-mat,
00:22
an art藝術 vending自動售貨機 machine that sells塞爾斯
4
10729
1589
即另一類自動販賣機,
00:24
small artistic藝術的 creations創作 by different不同 artists藝術家,
5
12318
1770
販賣不同藝術家創作的小藝術品,
00:26
usually平時 on small wood blocks or matchboxes火柴盒,
6
14088
2170
賣的通常為小型木刻或者火柴盒,
00:28
in limited有限 edition.
7
16258
1971
這些藝術品都為限量版。
00:30
This is Oliver奧利弗 MedvedikMedvedik. He's not a vending自動售貨機 machine,
8
18229
2094
這是奧利弗•馬凡迪。他不是一部自動販賣機,
00:32
but he is one of the founders創始人 of GenspaceGenspace,
9
20323
2379
但是,他是基因空間(Genspace)的創建人之一。
00:34
a community社區 biolab生物實驗室 in Brooklyn布魯克林, New York紐約,
10
22702
2012
基因空間是紐約布魯克林的一所社區生物實驗室,
00:36
where anybody任何人 can go and take classes
11
24714
1184
人人都可以去那裡上課,
00:37
and learn學習 how to do things like
grow增長 E. coli大腸桿菌 that glows光暈 in the dark黑暗
12
25898
3252
學習各類東西,諸如培育
在暗處發光的大腸桿菌,
00:41
or learn學習 how to take strawberry草莓 DNA脫氧核糖核酸.
13
29150
2420
或者如何萃取草莓的DNA。
00:43
In fact事實, I saw Oliver奧利弗 do one of these strawberry草莓
DNA脫氧核糖核酸 extractions拔牙 about a year ago,
14
31570
3579
老實說,一年前我看過奧利弗萃取草莓DNA,
00:47
and this is what led me onto this bizarre奇異的 path路徑
15
35149
2105
而這就是我的奇思怪想之始,
00:49
that I'm going to talk to you right now.
16
37254
1722
也是今日我將為大家講解的主題。
00:50
Because strawberry草莓 DNA脫氧核糖核酸 is really
fascinating迷人, because it's so beautiful美麗.
17
38976
3058
因為草莓DNA實在是叫人著迷,
因為這實在是太漂亮了。
00:54
I'd never thought about DNA脫氧核糖核酸
being存在 a beautiful美麗 thing before,
18
42034
2227
以前我從來不知道DNA是如此美麗動人,
00:56
before I saw it in this form形成.
19
44261
1713
因為我未見過DNA的這種形態。
00:57
And a lot of people, especially特別 in the art藝術 community社區,
20
45974
1955
很多人,特別是藝術圈內的人,
00:59
don't necessarily一定 engage從事 in science科學 in this way.
21
47929
2132
不見得會以此方式涉入科學領域。
01:02
I instantly即刻 joined加盟 GenspaceGenspace after this,
22
50061
2090
此後我很快就加入了基因空間,
01:04
and I asked Oliver奧利弗, "Well, if
we can do this strawberries草莓,
23
52151
1971
我問奧利弗:「哎,既然我們能做草莓的,
01:06
can we do this with people as well?"
24
54122
1541
我們能不能做人的DNA呢?」
01:07
And about 10 minutes分鐘 later後來, we were both
25
55663
1410
大概十分鐘後,
01:09
spinning紡織 it in vials小瓶 together一起 and coming未來 up
26
57073
1519
我們兩人已經將DNA放入瓶子裡面做分離,
01:10
with a protocol協議 for human人的 DNA脫氧核糖核酸 extraction萃取.
27
58592
2740
即得出人類DNA萃取物的雛形。
01:13
And I started開始 doing this on my own擁有,
28
61332
2092
我獨自開始做這件事,
01:15
and this is what my DNA脫氧核糖核酸 actually其實 looks容貌 like.
29
63424
2275
而這個,是我的DNA的容貌。
01:17
And I was at a dinner晚餐 party派對 with
some friends朋友, some artist藝術家 friends朋友,
30
65699
2210
有一次我跟朋友聚餐,藝術圈內的朋友,
01:19
and I was telling告訴 them about this project項目,
31
67909
2237
我跟他們介紹我的計畫,
01:22
and they couldn't不能 believe that
you could actually其實 see DNA脫氧核糖核酸.
32
70146
3106
他們不相信真的可以看見DNA。
01:25
So I said, all right, let's get
out some supplies耗材 right now.
33
73252
2326
於是我就說,好吧,我們現在就做一些出來。
01:27
And I started開始 having these bizarre奇異的 dinner晚餐
parties派對 at my house on Friday星期五 nights
34
75578
3097
之後,我家開始有這些稀奇古怪的週五晚聚餐,
01:30
where people would come over
35
78675
1494
人們都會過來,
01:32
and we would do DNA脫氧核糖核酸 extractions拔牙,
36
80169
1844
然後一起萃取DNA,
01:34
and I would actually其實 capture捕獲 them on video視頻,
37
82013
1466
我把這些人都一一拍下來,
01:35
because it created創建 this kind of funny滑稽 portrait肖像 as well.
38
83479
3331
這樣我就可以同時得到這類古靈精怪的表情。
01:38
(Laughter笑聲)
39
86810
1953
(笑聲)
01:40
These are people who don't necessarily一定 regularly經常
40
88763
2127
這些人啊,通常情況下,
01:42
engage從事 with science科學 whatsoever任何.
41
90890
1752
都不會跟科學領域打交道。
01:44
You can kind of tell from their reactions反應.
42
92642
3805
你大概也可以從他們的反應看出來。
01:48
But they became成為 fascinated入迷 by it,
43
96447
1621
但是他們對這件事很著迷,
01:50
and it was really exciting扣人心弦 for me to see them
44
98068
1688
而我自己也很興奮看到他們
01:51
get excited興奮 about science科學.
45
99756
1831
開始對科學感興趣。
01:53
And so I started開始 doing this regularly經常.
46
101587
2553
之後我開始定期進行舉辦這個活動。
01:56
It's kind of an odd thing to
do with your Friday星期五 nights,
47
104140
2722
每週五晚做這事情,的確有點奇怪,
01:58
but this is what I started開始 doing,
48
106862
1341
但這就是我開始做的事,
02:00
and I started開始 collecting蒐集 a whole整個 group
49
108203
1320
我也開始用小瓶子收集
02:01
of my friends'朋友' DNA脫氧核糖核酸 in small vials小瓶
50
109523
2182
我這幫朋友的DNA,
02:03
and categorizing歸類 them.
51
111705
1263
並且進行分類。
02:04
This is what that looked看著 like.
52
112968
1416
這就是他們的DNA。
02:06
And it started開始 to make me
think about a couple一對 of things.
53
114384
2163
由此我也開始考慮一些事情。
02:08
First of all, this looked看著 a lot like my FacebookFacebook的 wall.
54
116547
2601
首先,這看上去很像我的臉書牆。
02:11
So in a way, I've created創建 sort分類 of a genetic遺傳 network網絡,
55
119148
2639
所以呢,我大概也創造了一個基因網,
02:13
a genetic遺傳 social社會 network網絡, really.
56
121787
1554
一個真正的基因社交網。
02:15
And the second第二 thing was,
one time a friend朋友 came來了 over
57
123341
1979
而第二件事呢,有次一個朋友過來,
02:17
and looked看著 at this on my table and was like, "Oh.
58
125320
3070
看了我桌子上的這些東西,就問:
02:20
Why are they numbered編號? Is this
person more rare罕見 than the other one?"
59
128390
3289
「噢,為什麼編號了?是不是因為
這個人的基因比另外一個罕見?」
02:23
And I hadn't有沒有 even thought about that.
60
131679
1791
我從來沒想過這問題。
02:25
They were just numbered編號 because that
was the order訂購 that I extracted提取 the DNA脫氧核糖核酸 in.
61
133470
2966
DNA編號是因為我就是按這個順序萃取DNA的。
02:28
But that made製作 me think about collecting蒐集 toys玩具,
62
136436
2332
但是這讓我想到收集玩具,
02:30
and this thing that's going on right now
63
138768
1426
而現在這事情,就好像
02:32
in the toy玩具 world世界 with blind box toys玩具,
64
140194
2444
在玩具世界,玩具盒裡藏著未知的玩具,
02:34
and being存在 able能夠 to collect蒐集 these rare罕見 toys玩具.
65
142638
1882
大家能夠收集到一些稀有的玩具。
02:36
You buy購買 these boxes盒子. You're not sure
what's going to be inside of them.
66
144520
2315
你買了這些玩具盒,但是你不知道盒子裡有什麼玩具。
02:38
But then, when you open打開 them up,
67
146835
1583
但是,當你打開盒子時,
02:40
you have different不同 rarities稀有 of the toys玩具.
68
148418
1586
你就擁有各種稀有的玩具。
02:42
And so I thought that was interesting有趣.
69
150004
1468
然後我就想,這很好玩。
02:43
I started開始 thinking思維 about this and the caviar魚子醬
vending自動售貨機 machine and the Art-o-mat藝術鄰墊 all together一起,
70
151472
2869
我開始把這個跟魚子醬販賣機和Art-o-mat聯想起來,
02:46
and some reason原因, I was one
night drawing畫畫 a vending自動售貨機 machine,
71
154341
3736
很偶然,一天晚上我在畫一部自動販賣機,
02:50
thinking思維 about doing paintings繪畫 of a vending自動售貨機 machine,
72
158077
1667
考慮要畫販賣機的畫,
02:51
and the little vial小瓶 of my DNA脫氧核糖核酸 was sitting坐在 there,
73
159744
1881
又想到我的那些DNA,
02:53
and I saw this kind of beautiful美麗 collaboration合作 between之間
74
161625
2127
我看到了某種美妙的融合,
02:55
the strands of DNA脫氧核糖核酸 and the
coils線圈 of a vending自動售貨機 machine.
75
163752
2776
DNA的這些曲線和自動販賣機的卷線之間的融合。
02:58
And so, of course課程, I decided決定
to create創建 an art藝術 installation安裝
76
166528
2520
之後呢,當然,我決定創造一部藝術裝置,
03:01
called the DNA脫氧核糖核酸 Vending自動售貨機 Machine.
77
169048
2018
名叫DNA自動販賣機。
03:03
Here it is.
78
171066
1706
請看。
03:04
(Music音樂)
79
172772
5758
(音樂)
03:10
["DNA脫氧核糖核酸 Vending自動售貨機 Machine is an art藝術 installation安裝
about our increasing增加 access訪問 to biotechnology生物技術."]
80
178530
4880
[「DNA自動販賣機是一部關於
增加接觸生物技術的藝術裝置。」]
03:19
["For a reasonable合理 cost成本, you can purchase採購 a sample樣品
81
187223
4083
[「以合理的價格,你就可以從傳統的自動販賣機
03:23
of human人的 DNA脫氧核糖核酸 from a traditional傳統 vending自動售貨機 machine."]
82
191306
3389
購買人類DNA樣本。」]
03:44
["Each sample樣品 comes packaged包裝 with a collectible收藏品
83
212806
2505
[「每一個樣本都同時附有該NDA主人的
03:47
limited有限 edition portrait肖像 of the human人的 specimen標本."]
84
215311
2952
一張有收藏價值的限量版人物像。」]
03:54
["DNA脫氧核糖核酸 Vending自動售貨機 Machine treats對待 DNA脫氧核糖核酸
85
222207
2716
[「DNA自動販賣機將DNA
03:56
as a collectible收藏品 material材料 and brings帶來 to light
86
224923
2226
視為有收藏價值的材料,
03:59
legal法律 issues問題 over the ownership所有權 of DNA脫氧核糖核酸."]
87
227149
3771
引發有關NDA擁有權合法問題的討論。」]
04:04
Gabriel加布里埃爾 Garcia-Colombo加西亞 - 科倫坡: So
the DNA脫氧核糖核酸 Vending自動售貨機 Machine
88
232103
2309
卡伯耀•卡希亞-戈倫柏(Gabriel Garcia-Colombo):
目前,DNA自動販賣機
04:06
is currently目前 in a couple一對 galleries畫廊 in New York紐約,
89
234412
1825
已經出現在紐約的幾個美術館,
04:08
and it's selling銷售 out pretty漂亮 well, actually其實.
90
236237
2011
而且還賣得不錯。
04:10
We're in the first edition of 100 pieces,
91
238248
2009
我們現在做了第一版,有100個,
04:12
hoping希望 to do another另一個 edition pretty漂亮 soon不久.
92
240257
1760
希望很快就能做第二版。
04:14
I'd actually其實 like to get it into more of a metro地鐵 hub樞紐,
93
242017
2132
我希望能把它帶進繁忙的地鐵站,
04:16
like Grand盛大 Central中央 or Penn佩恩 Station,
94
244149
1911
諸如中央車站或賓州車站,
04:18
right next下一個 to some of the other, actual實際
vending自動售貨機 machines in that location位置.
95
246060
2930
然後就擺在其他真正的自動販賣機旁邊。
04:20
But really with this project項目
and a lot of my art藝術 projects項目
96
248990
2315
但是進行這個計畫和其他藝術計畫的同時,
04:23
I want to ask the audience聽眾 a question, and that is,
97
251305
2122
我想問在場觀眾一個問題:
04:25
when biotechnology生物技術 and DNA脫氧核糖核酸 sequencing測序
98
253427
1878
要是生物技術和DNA測序
04:27
becomes as cheap低廉 as, say, laser激光 cutting切割 or
99
255305
2985
變得像雷射切割一樣便宜,
04:30
3D printing印花 or buying購買 caviar魚子醬 from a vending自動售貨機 machine,
100
258290
3871
或者像3D列印或從販賣機買魚子醬一樣便宜,
04:34
will you still submit提交 your sample樣品 of
DNA脫氧核糖核酸 to be part部分 of the vending自動售貨機 machine?
101
262161
2653
你們仍然會交出你的DNA樣本
給自動販賣機使用嗎?
04:36
And how much will these samples樣本 be worth價值?
102
264814
1950
這些樣本又值多少錢?
04:38
And will you buy購買 someone有人 else's別人的 sample樣品?
103
266764
2466
你會願意買其他人的樣本嗎?
04:41
And what will you be able能夠 to do with that sample樣品?
104
269230
3629
之後你們拿著樣本又能做什麼?
04:44
Thank you.
105
272859
1743
謝謝。
04:46
(Applause掌聲)
106
274602
4000
(掌聲)
Translated by Xingyi Ouyang 歐陽杏儀
Reviewed by Marssi Draw

▲Back to top

ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Gabriel Barcia-Colombo - Video sculptor
Gabe Barcia-Colombo creates madcap art inspired both by Renaissance era curiosity cabinets and the modern-day digital chronicling of everyday life. Think: miniature people projected in objects and a DNA Vending Machine.

Why you should listen

Gabe Barcia-Colombo is an American artist who creates installation pieces that both delight and point to the strangeness of our modern, digital world. His latest work is a DNA Vending Machine, which dispenses vials of DNA extracted from friends at dinner parties. He's also created video installations of "miniature people" encased inside ordinary objects like suitcases, blenders and more. His work comments on the act of leaving one's imprint for the next generation. Call it "artwork with consequences."

As he explains it: "While formally implemented by natural history museums and collections (which find their roots in Renaissance-era 'cabinets of curiosity'), this process has grown more pointed and pervasive in the modern-day obsession with personal digital archiving and the corresponding growth of social media culture. My video sculptures play upon this exigency in our culture to chronicle, preserve and wax nostalgic, an idea which I render visually by 'collecting' human beings (alongside cultural archetypes) as scientific specimens. I repurpose everyday objects like blenders, suitcases and cans of Spam into venues for projecting and inserting videos of people."

Barcia-Colombo is an alumnus and instructor at NYU's Interactive Telecommunications Program. Read about his latest work on CoolHunting and in his TED Fellows profile.

More profile about the speaker
Gabriel Barcia-Colombo | Speaker | TED.com